Structures of the Neck?
There are seven vertebrae that are the
bony building blocks of the spine in the
neck (the cervical vertebrae) that surround
the spinal cord and canal. Between these
vertebrae are discs, and nearby pass the
nerves of the neck. Within the neck,
structures include the neck muscles,
arteries, veins, lymph glands, thyroid gland,
parathyroid glands, esophagus, larynx, and
trachea. Diseases or conditions that affect
any of these tissues of the neck can lead
to neck pain.
Diagnosing Neck Pain
In diagnosing the cause of neck pain,
it is important to review the history of
the symptoms. In reviewing the history,
the doctor will note the location, intensity,
duration, and radiation of the pain. Any
past injury to the neck is noted. Aggravating
and/or relieving positions or motions are
also recorded. The neck is examined at
rest and in motion. Tenderness is detected
during palpation of the neck. An examination
of the nervous system is performed to
determine whether or not nerve
involvement is present.
Further testing of undiagnosed neck pain can
include x-ray evaluation, CAT scan, bone scan,
MRI scan, myelogram, and electrical tests
such as electromyography (EMG) and
nerve conduction velocity test (NCV).
How is neck pain treated?
The treatment of neck pain depends on its
precise cause. Treatment options include rest,
heat/ice applications, traction, soft collar,
traction, physical therapy (ultrasound, massage,
manipulation), local injections of cortisone or
anesthetics, topical anesthetic creams,
topical pain patches, muscle relaxers,
analgesics, and surgical procedures.
Prevention
To prevent injuries, examine your home
for potential hazards and correct them to
reduce the chance of accidental injury. Proper
exercise of the shoulders and neck can
reduce the risk of injury.
When performing hazardous tasks,
be sure to have someone present to
reduce the likelihood of injury. For
example, when climbing a ladder,
have someone hold the base of the
ladder to keep it from sliding to
either side.
Know your limitations. Do not perform
activities that you do not have the training,
skills, tools, or strength to accomplish. Wear
seat belts and use other safety equipment
to reduce injuries.
Because most neck pain and shoulder pain is
caused by sprains and strains, you can
expect a full recovery or to recover with
minor limitations on your activities.
Some conditions require hospitalization,
surgical repair, physical therapy, or other
rehabilitative measures. The extent of
recovery may be complete or limited.
Some conditions can be recurrent or
persistent; thus, you should have a
treatment plan to learn how to deal
with and adapt to any limitations.
Learn More!
Tension Headaches
Also called muscle contraction
headaches - are the most common
type of headache, according to the
American Academy of Neurology.
This is the type of headache with
which many of us are familiar. The
pain is usually mild-to-moderate and
may also include feelings of tightness
or pressure around the head and neck.
We can develop a tension headache
because of stress, fatigue, eyestrain
or poor posture among other things.
Certain physical postures that tense head
and neck muscles - such as holding one's
chin down while reading - can lead to
tension headaches. So can prolonged
writing under poor light, or holding a
phone between the shoulder and ear or
even gum chewing. More serious problems
that can cause muscle contraction headaches
include degenerative arthritis of the neck
and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
The National Headache Foundation (NHF)
says there are two types of tension headaches:
Episodic - which occur randomly and usually
can be cured by timeand/or over-the-counter
medications. Chronic - which occur much
more frequently, sometimes even every day.
These should be discussed with a doctor to find
the underlying cause. Chronic muscle contraction
headaches can last for weeks, months and
sometimes years.
The pain of these headaches
is often described as a tight band around the
head or a feeling that the head and neck are in
a cast. NHF says causes can be tied to mental
and emotional issues such as anxiety and depression
Occasionally, tension headaches will be accompanied
by nausea, vomiting and blurred vision, but there
is no pre-headache syndrome as with migraine
headaches.
According to the National Institute of
Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS),
muscle contraction headaches have not been
linked to hormones or foods, as migraine
headaches have, nor is there a strong hereditary
connection.
From MedicineNet.com
Dealing with Tension Headaches
Treatment for muscle contraction headache
varies. The first consideration is to treat any
specific disorder or disease that may be
causing the headache. For example, arthritis
of the neck may be treated with anti-inflammatory
medication and TMD may be helped by
corrective devices for the mouth and jaw.
Small changes can help in some cases. Tension
headaches can develop as a result of excess strain
on those muscles; for example, looking down at
work on your desk or computer for an extended
period of time or sleeping or reclining on a pillow
that's too high. In such cases, changing pillows and
making a conscious effort to relax and periodically
stretch the head and neck muscles while reading
or working can be helpful
Acute tension headaches not associated with a
disease are treated with analgesics like aspirin and
acetaminophen.
If you do need medication, be
aware that such over-the-counter measures are
for occasional use only. It's also important that,
as with any medicine, you use and store these
products correctly. And also remember that if
headaches are occurring often, you should call
your doctor for advice. Stronger analgesics may
need to be prescribed, however prolonged use
of these drugs can lead to dependence and
should be monitored carefully.
In addition, it's important to remember that
some types of head pain can also indicate a
serious medical condition. So call your doctor
or seek medical help right away if you experience
any sudden intense head pain, or head pain
accompanied by other symptoms such as
slurred speech, changes in vision, stiff neck,
fever or numbness. They could be the sign of
a stroke or other serious condition.
from Catholic Health
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Live your day with more energy and less pain!
Why Sore Necks & Tension Headaches?
Just about all of us will experience short-term or chronic neck pain and tension headaches during our lives.
The causes vary - a poor mattress, incorrect posture, muscle tension, sudden movements or stress.
Most neck and headache pain from daily living is treatable, preventable, and manageable. For intense pain resulting from accidents or serious injury, you should seek medical care immediately.
Neck and headache pain that doesn't stop our activities, yet drains our strength is quite frustrating.
You get up in the morning in pain
You struggle to earn your living in pain
And, sleep does not come easily since you are in pain.
You dream of completing daily tasks without added difficulty. You dream of fully enjoying any activity you chose to do. You dream of living in the moment and not preoccupied with pain.
Neck Pain
The most common cause of neck pain is injury to the soft tissues including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Pain located in the neck is a common
medical condition. Neck pain can come
from a number of disorders and diseases
of any tissues in the neck, such as
degenerative disc disease, neck strain,
whiplash, a herniated disc, or a pinched
nerve. Neck pain is also referred to as
cervical pain.
Neck pain is commonly associated with
dull aching. Sometimes pain in the neck
is worsened with movement of the neck.
Other symptoms associated with some
forms of neck pain include numbness,
tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain,
fullness, difficulty swallowing, pulsations,
swishing sounds in the head, dizziness or
lightheadedness, and gland swelling.
Tension Headaches
Causes include inadequate rest, physical or mental stress, hunger or overexertion
Tension headaches can often be triggered by stress. Examples of stressors include:
Having problems at home Having a new child Losing a job
What Are The Symptoms?
There are many different symptoms for neck pain. Some of the most common are:
A stiff neck or shoulder and loss of range of motion sharp, dull, burning, crampy, shocklike, or stabbing pain Weakness and severe pain from muscle or bone movement Sensations similar to having your arm fall asleep
Additionally symptoms may include the inability to feel things normally due to pinched, bruised, or cut nerves; coolness or color changes from arteries, veins, or both have been injured or blocked; as well as swelling, muscle spasms or tightness
There are many different symptoms for tension headaches. Here are some of the most common:
What Can You Do?
You know the time is now for action.
You yearn for the days when you had boundless energy and no pain.
What if you bounced out of bed in the morning ready to embrace the day?
What if you participated in any hobby and sport of your choice?
Imagining the possibilities of a pain-free life is great. Yet, action is required to achieve this result.
Learn More!
Treatment Choices
Let's explore the available options, so that you can choice the option that is best for you.
Neck Pain Treatment Options
Injections of Medication - May help relieve pain with corticosteroid medications near the nerve roots or small neck joints or into neck muscles. Numbing medications, such as lidocaine, also can be injected to numb your neck pain.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) - Electrodes placed on your skin near the painful areas deliver tiny electrical impulses that may relieve pain.
Neck Exercises & Stretching - Exercises from a physical therapist that you can do at home may ease pain, restore muscle function, and increasing the strength and endurance of your neck muscles.
Pain Medications - Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medicine or anti-inflammatory medications than what you can get over-the-counter. Opioid analgesics, muscle relaxants, tramadol (Ultram) or tricyclic antidepressant medications are often prescribed for neck pain.
Tension Headaches Treatment Options
Pain Medications - Doctors often recommend over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and other NSAIDs. These provide relief for most people with tension-type headaches
Other Combinations - Aspirin or acetaminophen or both are often combined with caffeine or a sedative drug in a single medication.
Other Medications - For people who experience both migraines and episodic tension headaches, a triptan can effectively relieve the pain of both headaches.
Letter from the Creator
Hi, I'm Steve Frank and I design natural products for Nature's Rite.
I want to show you one of my new formulations. It's called Back & Neck Relief, but it's so much more than that; it's a product with many uses.
The basis for Back & Neck Relief is a combination of herbs that gets skeletal muscles to relax, nerves to settle down and damaged tissues to heal. Well, that's a combination that can be used for many different things. Sure, if you have a stiff neck, you can just roll-it-on and in minutes, you'll be feeling better in no time at all.
Yes, if you have low-back pain, you can generously coat your back and get relief without smelling like a peppermint stick.
That was what this product was intended to provide. It gets rids you of back and neck pain without those gross Menthol oils that smell and hurt when they get in your eyes.
If that was all that Back & Neck Relief did, that would be enough.
This product has been used for years by people who get tension headaches too.
The upper Trapezius muscles pull directly on the occiput (a bone at the base of your skull) and can cause debilitating headaches after a long day of work.
Hunching over your computer can cause this and most people are not even aware that it's happening.
Back & Neck Relief works to relax those tight Trapezius muscles while getting the nerves that are irritated to calm-down and stop sending distress signals to the brain.
You will be pleased and surprised how well this works to rid yourself of those pesky tension headaches.
You pay $25 to $50 to have a Chiropractor adjust these bones so that you don't have pain. Every Chiropractor will tell you that, "muscles move bones." You should relax those muscles so that they don't just move right back after the adjustment.
Do your feet hurt? Have you been on your feet all day at work or otherwise with tired muscles that are tight-as-a-drum and perhaps tendons and ligaments that have been over-worked? Well Back & Neck Relief will work on that too.
Is your elbow hurting or your shoulder sore? Why not roll it on and let it relieve the tension, make the pain fade and begin the healing process in just minutes.
This is such a generally useful product that no gym bag or travel bag should be without it. I designed this product to carry myself when I go out of town and work trade-shows.
We've had so many people use it so many ways, it just seems like a remedy that everyone should own.
I'd love to hear what you use it for. So go on... buy a bottle and start rolling it on where-ever it hurts. You'll be delighted with the results. I guarantee it.
Best of Health,
Steve Frank
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More About Back & Neck Pain Relief from Nature's Rite
Are You Tired of the Pain?
Are You Ready to Feel Your Best?
Do you Want to Fully Enjoy Each Day?
Nature's Rite Back and Neck Pain Relief is an all natural roll-on lotion that relaxes tense muscles, eases pain, quells nerve irritation, and enhances tissue repair!
Great for tension headaches, too!
Our pain solution is an easy-to-use, no mess, cost-effective product!
Your neck pain and tension headaches can literally disappear!
No extracted menthols so it won't sting or smell strong
It's NON-GREASY and water based for effective absorption into the skin
You get relief in minutes! PLUS, it's all natural!
Ingredients:
Cramp Bark, Lavender Bud, and Peppermint - relax the skeletal muscles that cause back and neck pain St. John's Wort - quiets over-active and irritated nerves to reduce pain signals Arnica Montana and White Willow - act as analgesics to reduce pain Comfrey and Arnica - support tissue repair
All you have to do is apply the lotion liberally over the pained area!
Don't just stop the pain. Heal the tissues causing pain.
Learn More!
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